Man Surrenders, Says He Robbed 2 Gas Stations

A wild night that began with two robberies netting $31.50 ended when the alleged robber surrendered at the Antelope Valley sheriff’s station early Thursday, telling authorities that he had used the money to buy crack cocaine.

Everett Watters, 33, a transient, was being held on suspicion of robbery at the Los Angeles County sheriff’s station in Lancaster.

“He confessed to both robberies and gave himself up,” Sgt. Ron Shreves said.

Detective Gary Weeks said Watters did not explain his speedy surrender. Watters told deputies that he used the money from the robberies to buy crack cocaine and that he was high on crack when he gave himself up, Weeks said.

“We’ve had people surrender before, but it’s not an everyday occurrence,” Weeks said. “Very unusual.”

Watters walked into the sheriff’s station about 4:35 a.m. and told a surprised deputy that he had committed two robberies.

According to deputies, Watters said he robbed an attendant at a Chevron station at 10th Street West and Avenue K in Lancaster about 1:35 a.m. Thursday, then robbed a clerk at the Filling Station on Sierra Highway in Lancaster.

Employees at those businesses said the man who robbed them pretended to have a gun.

Larry Jordan, the Chevron station manager, said the attendant who was robbed told him: “The guy came up and said, ‘Do you want to get shot? Give me all the money.’ ”

But the attendant showed him that there was no money except in a locked safe, Jordan said.

“So he said, ‘Give me your wallet,’ ” Jordan said. “He got about a buck-fifty.”

The robber fled on foot, deputies said. About five minutes later, a man matching Watters’ description confronted a clerk at the other gas station, also placing his hand by his waistband as if he had a gun. He took $30, deputies said.